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What is the AUTOEXEC.BAT file used for? - Technical Tip - 161827

The AUTOEXEC.BAT file is a text file that contains various programs and commands to be loaded at system startup.

The AUTOEXEC.BAT file is a text file that contains various programs and commands to be loaded at system startup. They are processed as a group, one line at a time, until the end of the file is reached. The AUTOEXEC.BAT file is known as a batch file because it processes several commands, or a batch of commands, one right after another. A batch file or batch program is an unformatted text file (no tabs, paragraph markers, etc.) which contains one or more MS-DOS commands and is assigned a .BAT extension. When you type the name of the batch program at the command prompt, the commands are carried out as a group. The AUTOEXEC.BAT is a special batch file because it is loaded automatically at the startup of the computer.

NOTE: Everything that is processed in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file can also be performed at the DOS/COMMAND Prompt.

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